U.S. Talks Tough on Syria, Ramps Up Attack Planning
By ADAM ENTOUS in Washington and SAM DAGHER in Damascus
NurPhoto/Zuma Press A child walks between dusty tents in a refugee camp set up in Iraq. The U.N. says the number of children fleeing Syria has now reached one million.
The Obama administration hardened its stance against Syria and stepped up plans for possible military action, dismissing as too late the regime's offer to let United Nations officials inspect areas where the U.S. believes Damascus used chemical weapons last week.
The White House and Pentagon signaled the U.S. wasn't backing away from a possible showdown despite apparent efforts by the Syrian government to ease tensions by letting U.N. inspectors visit areas near the capital where hundreds were killed, allegedly by chemical weapons.
If he decides to act militarily, Mr. Obama would prefer to do so with U.N. Security Council backing, but officials said he could decide to work instead with international partners such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the Arab League.
"We'll consult with the U.N. They're an important avenue. But they're not the only avenue," a senior administration official said.
In recent days, the Pentagon has moved more warships into place in the eastern Mediterranean and U.S. war planners have updated military options that include cruise-missile strikes on regime targets, officials said. The White House held high-level meetings over the weekend, but officials said late Sunday that Mr. Obama had yet to decide how to proceed.
"It does not matter whether the war is actually happening, and, since no decisive victory is possible, it does not matter whether the war is going badly. All that is needed is that a state of war should exist." - Emmanuel Goldstein
You know there is tyranny in America when Government pleads the Fifth.
This is true, I've said it many times before but the United States would be foolish to interject itself into this country's problems., but it seems not to matter. Obama has wanted to remove Assad for quite some time and, based on Kerry's speech, it appears we are going to get involved more deeply in this. To what extent is not yet clear.
Quote: Cincinnatus wrote in post #4This is true, I've said it many times before but the United States would be foolish to interject itself into this country's problems., but it seems not to matter. Obama has wanted to remove Assad for quite some time and, based on Kerry's speech, it appears we are going to get involved more deeply in this. To what extent is not yet clear.
Obama will probably send in the toys...unmanned this, unmanned that as if they meant nothing.
"It does not matter whether the war is actually happening, and, since no decisive victory is possible, it does not matter whether the war is going badly. All that is needed is that a state of war should exist." - Emmanuel Goldstein
Of course the great peace maker cancelled his upcoming meeting with the one he needs to make peace with in 2013.
I smell a refund? I wish. The "prize" was a shameful case of wishful thinking, right from the get-go!